Sam - On Hooks and Needles's Profile

About Sam - On Hooks and Needles

I’m a crocheter, knitter, and pattern designer. I’m a member of the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) I try to seek out the LYS in cities that I visit to see what kind of fabulousness they have and to see if they are crochet-friendly.

I'm OnHooksandNeedles on Ravelry if you want to see what I've been working on and designing.

Sam - On Hooks and Needles's Crawls

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Sam - On Hooks and Needles's Favorite Yarn Stores

Sam - On Hooks and Needles's Comments

Very nice store with a great selection of mostly high-end yarns. Best selection of Koigu ever! (see the photo of the wall) It was also great to be able to buy ShiBui yarn from the source. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was nice.

Located in a more residential than commercial area, the Lamp Shoppe is a wonderful store that is worth the visit when in Denver. The set up of the store is great, with high ceilings, warm paint colors, tables and chairs, and oodles of yarn. I was instantly smitten when I first walked in the door. They have a great selection of yarns, from local and regional companies to a great selection of Debbie Bliss and Noro. There are plenty of books and patterns for purchase and the store is definitely crochet-friendly. The staff is also super-friendly. And if you're thirsty, they have coffee and snacks for purchase. Too lovely!

I was absolutely awed by what lay inside the door to this shop. Two large rooms with shelf upon shelf, from floor to ceiling, of fabulous yarn. From expensive yarns to specialty yarns to yarns I'd never seen before. It was awesome! If you go, be sure to allow plenty of time to look at all the yarn.

The store staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about the yarns. They also carried some great needles and notions. The store is also crochet-friendly. Not a lot of seating for classes/hanging out and such but overall, I really liked the store. A definite must see if you're in San Fran.

It's located in a strip mall-type location, this is a bright store with lots of windows and high ceilings. The yarn selection was wide but I can't say that I was wowed by it. There were a lot of synthetics and yarn that I've seen at other stores. There were a few gems here and there so it isn't to say their selection was lacking. The hook, needle and notions selection was amazing - everything you could possibly need was there. There were oodles of patterns and books plus a huge selection of specialty buttons. There was also tatting materials and lots of embroidery. They also have a play area for kids to occupy themselves while parents are shopping.

I was a bit turned off by the staff at the store which accounts for my less than stellar review. The one person giving some instructions to a new knitter was actually quite aggressive and rude to her student. Perhaps this was the student's fifth time trying to learn and the instructor was just frustrated. Then again, that's not an excuse to be rude to a student. Those somewhat negative impressions aside, this was still a really great store and worth checking out if you're in Columbus.

Inside this quaint little yellow house are fibers galore! Oodles of yarn to oggle. They have a wonderful selection of high quality yarn and the staff is very friendly. I had my hopes up that this was a crochet friendly store since Debbie Stoller has done a book signing of "The Happy Hooker". Sadly, when I asked where the crochet hooks were, I was directed to a small part of a large wall devoted to knitting needles and accessories. There were about 7 aluminum hooks and 5 wooden hooks. I wouldn't say the store isn't crochet friendly because the staff I talked to were very nice - they just don't have much selection or stock of crochet hooks. (Note: I visited in 2007 so perhaps they have more hooks now)

The Black Sheep Wool Company is a must see if you're in Salt Lake City. Friendly staff, great yarn and pattern selection, and crocheters are as welcome as knitters.

The store is located on the second floor. No worries if you need assistance with the stairs as there is a motorized chair installed along the stairs to whisk you to the top. The store is a good size and there is lots of natural light that streams in through the windows. The yarn selection is delightful - from Noro to Debbie Bliss to yarns I've never heard of. They also have a great assortment of patterns and they sell them in those handy protective plastic sleeves. There is a wall of notions - needles, hooks, counters, buttons, etc. The staff is very friendly and very helpful.

Located in a strip mall, I was a bit hesitant to enter but it was a hidden gem to discover. A well-sized store with some of the most friendly yarn shop staff I've ever encountered. The whole store exuded zen. The rows of shelves of yarn drew you in to explore all the colors and textures. They also had a great selection of notions, hooks and needles and a good selection of books and patterns.

The store also has a table in the back for classes. While I was there, a knitting class was going on. The teacher was so patient and was explaining things in a way that all the students seemed to understand. Seriously - if I lived in Columbus, I would take classes and be at this store all the time. It had such a homey, relaxed and inviting feeling. I felt as though I could have hunkered down in one of the chairs and crocheted or knitted away for hours. It even had a "Crochet Friendly" decal from Interweave Press near the front door. It's a definite must see if you're living in or just visiting the area.

Great selection of yarns (fiber types and colors). There were weaving supplies galore - from roving to spindles to spinning wheels to looms, followed by shelves and bins of beautiful yarns, ranging from synthetics and bargain finds to some rather pricey and exquisite skeins. There were buttons and decorations and a very large library of books, magazines and patterns. There was also a large selection of knitting needles and almost all sizes of crochet hooks. The staff was very friendly and very helpful. I would definitely recommend stopping by the Fiber Factory when you're in Mesa/Phoenix.

While the greeting was a friendly one (a cute dog greeted us at the door) and the owner was also very nice, I can't say that the store lived up to its name. The store was small and sorta dark inside. There were shelves along each wall but the selection of yarn was very disappointing. There were WAAAAY too many synthetics and novelty yarns for my taste. It seemed like the novelty yarns were a third of the selection. The shelves were untidy and the labeling was inconsistent. There were NO crochet hooks anywhere - not that it means the store isn't crochet friendly. And as far as the "Bead Gallery" ... very disappointing. There was a basket of beads on the floor near the back, and some shelves with strings of beads laid out. Very disorganized and nothing had prices. If you ask me, too much money was spent on the fancy little shopping bags instead of on the yarn and bead inventory.

But - the store was cute and the ladies who were felting projects in the store were having a wonderful time. The owner was very friendly and her customers were happy. Selection aside, you can't underestimate the importance of good, friendly customer service. This is still a store worth checking out.

A cute little yarn store in the historic town of St. Michaels, Maryland. Frivolous Fibers boasts the largest selection of Blue Heron Yarns, hand-dyed in nearby Easton, Maryland. For the size of the store, they do have a very good selection of yarns, hooks, needles and other accessories. There was no where to sit and relax except for one large table with chairs but they do make the best use of the space they have. The ladies in the store were so very, very friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a trip to the store if you're out on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.